Is some old Oak hardwood too hard to cut w/o damaging your chain?

Nope, but can be tuff for some saws especially saws that are not maintained. Saw power, type chain, oil flow to the chain, and of course operator knowledge not forcing the bar through the wood. When I cut dry hardwood I have to sharpen the chain more often and keep the bar tracks and oil feeder holes clean.. Don't take long to smoke chain if you force it on saw that lacks power, and not oiling properly. I sure you don't have these problems?????

Is smoking a chain ruining the chainÃ¢ÂÂs hardness/temper due to heat? I have ruined many chains and bars due to cutting wood dozed in sand. I felt I still came out on free wood and cut it just enough to get home. Six feet usually and allowed this wood to be rained on 2-3 weeks to help clean the wood. Good used chains and new chain stock from flea markets and making and adjusting my chains was the big saver. I bit the bullet on purchasing laser tip bars vs sprockets to deal with dirty wood. The neighborhood is producing good green and seasoned wood on the curb now vs the new developments in the 70.

All for the fun of it per my wife that says our gas central unit is cheaper!!!!

Really just a matter of common sence . All wood should be as clean as reasonably possible prior to cutting . As must be the saw chain sharp and the chain and bar oiling system maintained to ensure optimal cutting . I usuallly ensure a two saw operation for this type of work . Not all of us can afford such a practice therfore a two bar and chain set up is usually utilized when dirty cutting is antisipated , keeping your good bar and chain for cleaner cutting jobs. Dirt , sand and other debris are a bad scenerio for chain and bar life . But cutting older hardwood flooring usually is not a serious threat unless it originated from a Barn or other dirty agricutural application.

Smoking the chain ruin it. IMO Normally no, unless the user coninues to force the chain through the logs dull. Eventually it won't cut just lay their and smoke and even then it can usually be resharpen providing no teeth broke off. This IMO is usually when teeth get broken off or hit metal in the wood.

IMO Teeth can be brought back to life usually with elect. chain saw sharpener or dermal with the rotory chain saw files are the quickest way, but if you grind too much you teeth will be gone before you know it. I dress them up with file afterwords fine tuning the angle for maximum sharpness. My woodshark chain are usually ground down so much they will eventually break off. I can tell when I don't do it right the saw wants to cut crooked through the log or bigger limb.

Fine sand Or dirt will of course as you said dull the chain quickly and wear the bar grooves where the chain tracks ride if continuelly ran in those conditions. Just be ready to sharpen the chain, clean the bar more often. Probably two or three times during tank full of gas if wood is extremely dirty.

For every tank of gas I dress the chain teeth three or four swips and when done I clean the saw up (this includes removing the bar and chain, for thorough clean of all the parts and clutch area. sharpen the chain of course, cleaning the gooves and oil feeder holes on the bar, readjust the chain) now it ready when I need it again and I know I won't be delayed cause I left the saw dirty and dull. Just common sence information that I do that keeps my equipment in top shape and ready for the next job. Cool morning up hear and I am caught up so that's why the Loooong post!!! smile

I never leave home w/o two saws extra bars and chains unless I going a few blocks vs miles. I'll always have my saws chains and bars I w/n touch dirty wood with. If it's dozed and too dirty I leave it. If a saw has a problem, I'll grab another vs working on a saw at that time.

I have met some good heavy equipment operators that were concerned not to get the wood dirty. Such as, lifting small trees below their trunks and bringing them standing across a field and laying them slow "in a row" so the bark w/n touch the ground. We would leave trunks and tops as we took approx 12" to 4" dia oak wood before too much top. The thick trees were forced to grow tall w/o limbs before the tops. In some cases they would allow you to load the buckets with cut wood and lift it to your truck and trailer when they really needed the wood moved. That was some good cutting and wood in close developments that are different now

I guess we were typing at the same time??? Course I am slower and you posted first with the about same general info I posted, didn't see your post before I posted.... So didn't know I was repeating... Rc.

1. The lack of keeping the chain sharp was frustrating to My Friend that works 10 times as hard as I have since the mid 70s maintaining his saws.

2. He has probably used 3-4 chains if that and his original bar on his Poulan S25 due to his care. I have easily used 3-4+ bars and 8-10+ chains and make-up/adjust/sharpen my chains from good used flea market chains and some new stock (since mid 80's).

3. Since the mid 80's I have supplied some chains/saws vs any purchases due to my surplus and donations.

4. My friend moved up to a top-end Stihl saw. He will purchase another chain for the saw to see if he gets his quality cuts in the Red Oak as in the past.